My experince at the "Lowes cutting center"

I arrived at lowes like any other today. A very small list. Some kreg screws and a 4×8 sheet of 1/4” birch ply for drawer bottoms. After browsing the tool isles and getting my screws I got my sheet and realized I had my car not truck and that I was going to have to have the sheet cut down to 4 2×4 sheets.All good right? Nope.I pressed the button on the wall near the panel saw and heard the command go off on the loudspeaker that something needed to be cut.After waiting almost 15 minutes a middle age worker comes meandering over. He asked me what I would like cut and I explained I need this sheet cut in 4. After asking me for an explanation of how that should be done he puts the piece on the panel saw and completely ignores the built in ruler he cumbersomely handles a tape measure on the sheet. I said “theres a tape on the saw you know…” He then snaps and denies that there is such a thing.It literally took 20 minuets for him to cut it down. He was then rude to me after I thanked him reluctantly.The bottom line is…Take your truck to lowes if your buying sheet goods. Cut them yourself.

This is one of the toughest things for the woodworker, and that is trying to find a decent place to buy materials. When I first started woodworking, I knew I needed to find a place that catered more to the woodworker then just a big box store. I checked with some of the local cabinet shops to see where they bought their lumber and sheet goods. Most bought from the larger suppliers that delivered directly to them and most of those suppliers didn’t want to deal with a little shop or hobbiest, but I kept looking and asking and finally found a supplier that handled a nice selection of hardwoods, some exotic woods and a good selection of sheet goods. They didn’t care if I bought 1 board or if I wanted 100 bd/ft. There was only one problem…...They where almost 2 hours away!. That was over 20 years ago and I’m still doing business with them. Sometimes is was not very conveinent and sometimes I still had to buy something from one of the box stores, but most of the time, the difference between the price I had to pay at the box store and the crappy quality I got there, it was worth the time to plan a trip to my supplier. A few years ago I moved my shop to Myrtle Beach, SC and I’m now about 4 1/2 hours away from my supplier, but guess what? I still buy 75/80% of all my materials from them. I’m lucky and have found a small supplier that’s fairly close that I can run and pick up a sheet of plywood if I need it, but I still drive past the local Lowe’s and Home Depot to get there. Good luck on your woodworking and keep looking for a supplier that caters to you!

The last 4×8 sheet of birch plywood that I purchased at lowes, 13 ply, had veener only 10/1000 thick (I measured a loose chip). Obviously, their panel saw would leave a horrible amount of tearout. Plywood like this can only be cut with a special blade.

A friend of mine has contacts with a specialty cabinet shop that will sell him high quality plywood. It isn’t cheap, but it may be well worth nurturing a good relationship with your local cabinet shop. The Frank Miller Lumber Co. in Union City IN also sells high quality plywood, and they will cut it with a smile – nice small town people.

By-the-way, I’m now on my third Dodge 1500 truck – couldn’t do without it.

You ain’t just whistling Dixie, my friend! I love my pickup….I think it’s one of the most important tools in my shop! Not only can you handle sheet goods and long lumber, but it works pretty good for bringing home large pieces of wood working equipment!

I have had similar adventures. I don’t have a truck and sheet goods are now my biggest pain. I usually check the cut list and try to calculate the largest margin of error so I can recut when I get home. I have recently explored mills, as adverse to the big box.

Good thinking Randy. I can see where bringing some styrofoam in the car and running a cordless out in the parking lot would save a good deal of the pain. I will have to remember that one.

David

-- There is little that is simple when it comes to making a simple box.

I have no patience for bad service. PERIOD. When I am confronted by an employee who shouldn’t be working with the public, I demand they get their Manager. It’s kind of like making them tell on themselves! Works every time…....except on the rare occassion when you quickly determine the Manager is the problem!

ive always had trucks or vans (full size) and thered be no way i could get thru life without them, theyre like a welder or plasma cutter…or a dog..lolrandy, u said u have a van…im a bit confused tho, why would u need to cut the ply in the lot? unless it was just to make people wonder..loleven if its a mini-van u could easily get a ladder rack? it just hit me odd so i had to ask

Well I am going to disagree. I have never had a bad experience at store were I shop.

All my cabinet for the garage/shop were made from oak plywood cut at Lowes (dublin,CA).I always got the help I needed and yes they measure with a tape.When I am shoping there I always get asked if I needed help. They even help me move sheet around so I get the one I like. Sometimes I got asked in the parking lot if I need help load.

I always give myself a 2” margin because their saw leaves a lot of splinter. They never charged me for the cuts either.

The worst days to shop there are weekends, that when they have a lot of trafic. If I have to go on the weekend I make it very early in the morning.

I almost never had to wait more than 10mn at the saw.

I know buy my sheets at MacBeth lumber because of the better selection. They also have a good service.